Washington Red-Faced Over Hostage Botch

THE SYDNEY MORNING HERALD, June 10 — In the ongoing American war on terrorism the Philippines are now the front line, and it is not going quite as planned, reported the Australian Sydney Morning Herald.

On the mainly Muslim island of Mindanao, long the scene of separatist violence, American missionary Martin Burnham, his wife, Gracia, and Filipino nurse Ediborah Yap were taken hostage more than a year ago by bandits of the Abu Sayyaf gang associated with al Qaeda. On June 7, Philippine authorities lost patience with the hostage-takers and employed American expertise and tactics to attempt a rescue — with disastrous results.

Philippine soldiers stormed the Abu Sayyaf camp that day with guns blazing and, authorities admit, probably shot the hostages themselves. In the course of a three-hour firefight, Martin Burnham and Yap were killed and Gracia Burnham was wounded while leading kidnappers escaped. Eight soldiers were wounded, and four rebels were killed.

The Herald reported the Burnhams, who had lived in the Philippines for 15 years and had three young children, were abducted in May 2001 from a resort on the western Philippine island of Palawan, where they were celebrating their 18th wedding anniversary.

Australian Leader Supports Catholic Prelate

ASSOCIATED PRESS, June 5 — Australian Prime Minister John Howard has come out in defense of embattled Archbishop George Pell of Sydney, leader of the Catholic Church in that country.

Archbishop Pell has sustained heavy criticism for offering payments to victims of clerical abuse, which Church critics have called “hush money.” Howard called it “unfair” to term these agreements as a cover-up, Associated Press reported.

“The Archbishop impresses me as a strong leader and as a person who has a great deal of integrity,” Howard said, announcing that he would not launch an investigation into the Church, which might “just become an unending witch hunt.”

Archbishop Pell has noted that there was no confidentiality clause in the agreements reached with the families of victims.

From the Army to the Church

ASSOCIATED PRESS, June 6 — The Central American nation of Guatemala — long a scene of fighting between guerillas and the army — is experiencing more peaceful times and is shifting its media ownership to reflect that, the news service reported.

Guatemalan President Alfonso Portillo's office announced June 6 that the government would probably shed the army's official television station, channel 5, and transfer it to the Church. “We would like to give it to the Catholic Church as a way for civil society without access to the media to participate,” the announcement said.

According to Associated Press, 70% of Guatemalans are Catholic. Some 26% belong to evangelical churches, which also operate a TV station in that country.